1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an assembly for the automatic or semi-automatic production of a beverage, primarily but not necessarily, a coffee beverage wherein water or applicable liquid is directed under pressure successively into contact with a plurality of pre-formed packets of powder, granulated or like material which forms the beverage when saturated with water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Popularity and wide acceptance by consumers of coffee has been known for many years. Conventionally, coffee is prepared utilizing relatively expensive and specialized equipment especially when such coffee is prepared on an individual basis for use and sale in commercial establishments such as restaurants. In addition, it is known that preparation time is rather lengthy especially when producing many relatively small quantities or individual containers of this beverage. Specialized equipment and lengthy preparation time may be generally acceptable for private or in-home consumption or where the clientele of a given establishment expects to pay a rather high price for such beverage. However, the popularity of this beverage has resulted in an increased demand for coffee in public facilities such as but not limited to fast food restaurants. The assembly of the present invention, to be described in greater detail hereinafter, is primarily designed for relatively high volume utilization but is also readily adaptable for home use.
While coffee has been prepared and served in restaurants for sometime, the aforementioned problems concerned with the expense and the equipment and the lengthy time of preparation is looked upon as a great inconvenience to operators of a restaurant. In order to facilitate service in such public facilities, it is of course desirable that all ordered food stuffs including coffee and like coffee beverages be served to the clientele as soon as possible after ordering. This generally results in the preparation of large quantities of coffee which is then stored during constant heating for a significant brief period. Frequently, such preparation and storage of relatively large quantities of this beverage results in waste when sufficient individual servings are not ordered by the clientele or a deterioration in taste. Also, when the proprietor of a restaurant or like public facility prepares an "expresso" type coffee on an individual basis, there is normally a disagreeably long amount of time that elapses from the time of ordering to the time of serving.
There is a recognized need in the restaurant and related industries for a device capable of producing individual, servings of predetermined and variable quantities of coffee in a relatively short period of time but which maintains the high quality which most consumers have come to expect and recognize. Such an intended device should be structured to produce or prepare a coffee beverage preferably from a preformed packet having a high quality normally associated with more conventional equipment. In addition, such a device should be relatively inexpensive, easy to maintain and operate and include sufficient structural integrity to have a long operable life.